August 10, 2007

Is It Too Late To Abdicate My Parental Responsibilities?

School starts Monday.

Not for me, of course -- I put in my time,
thanks. Smedley starts first grade, and it's gonna be a fight. Another fight.
Big surprise, I know.

Last year the kindergarten class in our tiny
little school was on the verge of overspilling its legal size boundaries, so
they moved a few of the kids in with the first grade class. While they were
still receiving the kindergarten curricula, those kids were a bit more socially
advanced and could handle being mixed in with first graders. Smedley stayed in
the regular K class.

This year, however, she's beyond ready. Please,
cover your eyes if a little bit of parental bragging stirs your stomach.
Smedley ended kindergarten reading beyond a second grade level, and she's
continued to advance this summer. She reads to Chas from The New
Yorker. I think she could probably read The Wall Street Journal,
if we had one, which we don't. And all of her other skills and concepts are
above average. Sigh. Bragging over.

So the school has given us a choice: Smedley
may stay with the first grade class she started with, or move into the more
advanced first grade class that is now mixed in with second graders. Guess
which one we've chosen? Right. Guess what Smedley says? Also right. And any
time a well-meaning uncle has asked my daughter, "Well, are you ready for first
grade to start?" he has gotten a more detailed (and obnoxious, let's face
it) answer than he was expecting. ". . . and I am NOT going into Mrs. Hart's
class, no matter WHAT Mama says!" Aye-yi-yi . . .

So please keep us in your thoughts this
weekend. There will likely be lots of tears, tantrums, slamming doors and
ultimatums (and that'll just be Chas -- it's the women in this household ya
gotta watch out for). Thank you for your support.

Comments

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You'll be in my prayers! We decided to homeschool, and I'm glad cause Grayson has grown a major attitude. I would hate for that to be a teacher's first impression of him. Course, it's driving ME up the wall, but better me than a complete stranger.
Congrats on the advanced placement too! Maybe that will ease the pain of the first week a little?